If Not Pre-dating Henry Cavill as the Hottest Superman in ‘Smallville’, Tom Welling Would’ve Joined THIS Noble Profession
- Tom Welling would have been a firefighter if not actor.
- Welling's portrayal of Clark Kent was highly lauded.
- Tom Welling was recently arrested for DUI.
Actor-director-producer Tom Welling is widely known for portraying Clark Kent in The CW’s Smallville. The actor, who reportedly was not a fan of Superman before taking on the role, was highly praised by critics and the audience for his work on Smallville. Welling also earned accolades for his portrayal of Superman on television screens.
The actor also appeared as the main antagonist, Lt. Marcus Pierce, in the third season of Fox’s comedy-drama Lucifer from 2017 to 2018. Tom Welling has appeared in movies including Cheaper by the Dozen, The Choice, Mafia Wars, and more. In an interview, Tom Welling shared what he’d be doing if it wasn’t about playing Clark Kent on Smallville.
Smallville actor Tom Welling would have been a firefighter if he weren’t an actor
In an interview with Michael Rosenbaum, Smallville actor Tom Welling was asked about what career path he’d be on if it wasn’t acting. He said,
My grandfather was a firefighter, and I’ve always thought about that because what I love about firefighters is that they help people. Maybe that turned into the Clark thing.
The actor added that when firefighters show up, they are there to help you and that he would have walked on that path. He also noted that a couple of his friends are also firefighters. Rosenbaum pointed out that it’s so ironic that the actor would have preferred to be a firefighter, but instead, he went on to portray a character who helps people.
The host added that Welling, in pretending to help people, has helped a lot of viewers, as the show meant so much to the audience, especially during the time of 9/11. Rosenbaum reminded Welling that the show brought so many memories to a lot of people and helped them through tough times. Welling agreed, but also complimented the host for his hard work and dedication in helping out people.
Tom Welling played Clark Kent on Smallville for ten seasons, and the actor’s portrayal of Kent, full of courage and compassion, makes his work one of the most beloved adaptations of Clark Kent. Welling, in conversation with BuzzFeed at the time, shared about extensive superhero offerings on TV and added,
It’s a compliment. I’m very proud of shows like Arrow and The Flash. They’re able to ground these characters so that the viewer can relate on a human level to people who used to be only in two dimensions.
Smallville was about Clark Kent and not Superman, and the actor maintained his stance on how the show should stay true to its concept: ‘No flights, no tights.’
This is one of the reasons why the audience loved the show, as it paid attention to details and was a fresh take on the story of Superman. Henry Cavill is also widely known for his portrayal of Superman in DC movies and he is equally loved like Welling.
Lucifer actor Tom Welling was arrested for DUI in California
According to reports by USA Today, the actor who played Clark Kent on Smallville was arrested in Northern California on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. The actor was arrested by a Yreka police officer, and reports suggested his blood alcohol level was at least 0.08%.
Welling was, however, released several hours later and will be appearing in court on March 11, 2025. The New York Post reported that the star’s booking sheet notes that his speech was clear and he listed his occupation as actor.
Tom Welling post-Smallville had a fairly quiet career in the industry, but he returned to play the antagonist on Lucifer. In his interview with THR, he shared,
Ten years of being away from family and friends does take a toll on you. I had to go off and do something that I couldn’t do when I was on the show, and that took a little while. I slowly started to get back into the idea and started getting passionate about getting back to work.
Welling noted that he was grateful that the role of Lt. Marcus Pierce from Lucifer came up to him, and he was simply glad to be a part of the show. He had binged-watched six episodes of the show and expressed a desire to do more than ten episodes on the show. He was signed in for 15 episodes, adding that the cast and crew of the show were so much fun.
The actor shared with EW that playing Marcus was fun because it was different from whatever character he had played to date, and he had a different energy, which he enjoyed playing. The audience praised his work on the show.
Smallville can be streamed on Prime Video, whereas Lucifer is streaming on Netflix.
